MAEAP Verified 62 Farms in July

For Immediate Release Media Contact: Jennifer Holton, 517-284-5724September 9, 2016 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

MAEAP Verifies 62 Farms in July

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (MDARD) Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) is recognizing 62 farms for implementing appropriate pollution prevention practices. The program assists farmers to comply with state and federal environmental regulations and with Right to Farm practices. Technical assistance was provided by local Conservation Districts.The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program recognized:

• Alger 40, of Trenary, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Grace Acres, V Farm, of Alpena, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems. • Kokx’s Produce, of Hickory Corners, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems. • Sparks Farm, of Cassopolis, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System. • North Star Farm, LLC, of Cassopolis, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems. • White Yarrow Farm, of Marcellus, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System.• AgroLiquid, North Central Research Station, of St. Johns, as a verified farm in the Cropping and Farmstead Systems. • WeFancy Farms, of Frederic, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems. • Ensign 40, of Rapid River, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Rock Property, of Rock, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Brampton 200, of Brampton, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System.• Messing Dairy, of Bad Axe, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Bischer Farms Partnership, of Ruth, as a verified farm in the Cropping and Livestock Systems. • D & G Farms, of Harbor Beach, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • R J Farms, of Bad Axe, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, and Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat Systems. • Osminski Farm, of Bad Axe, as a verified farm in the Cropping System.• Jostock Farm, of Lapeer, as a verified farm in the Cropping and Farmstead Systems. • BrightView Acres, of Adrian, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System. • Wayne Dinius Farm, of Adrian, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Keeney Orchards, of Tipton, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Clarinda Farms, LLC, of Webberville, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Glover Farms, LLC, of Fowlerville, as a verified farm in the Cropping System.• Leonard Olsen Farm Corp., of Bear Lake, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Always’s Shady Lane Farm, Inc., of Ludington, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Mr. Wizard’s Hops, of Monroe, as a verified farm in the Cropping and Farmstead System. • Schafer Farms, of Carleton, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Sims Property, of Carleton, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Heck Farms, LLC, of Monroe, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System.• Johnson Family Farm, of Lewiston, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems. • Broadview Christmans Tree Farm, of Highland, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Kit’s Garden, of Rochester Hills, as a verified farm in the Cropping and Farmstead Systems.• Greiner Rainbow Acres, of Hart, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System. • Four Star Farms, of Hart, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • The Bierwagon Farm, of Shelby, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System.• Ronald Weisenberger Farm, of New Lothrop, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System. • T.M. Klein & Sons, Inc., Site 2, of St. Charles, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System. • Maggie Mae Farms, of Saginaw, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System.• Bowsky Farms, of Brown City, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Gene Harrington Farm, of Akron, as a verified farm in the Cropping and Farmstead Systems. • Maurer Farms, of Vassar, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • DNR Cass City Field Office and Almer Township State Game Area, as a verified • DeGrandchamp’s Bluberry Farm, of South Haven, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Schultz Farms, of Decatur, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems. • Hunt’s Hillside, LLC, of Lawton, as a verified farm in the Cropping and Farmstead Systems. • Hunt Farms, of Lawton, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • De Leo Farm Produce, of Bangor, as a verified farm in the Cropping System. • Harvest Moon Hobby Farm, of Ann Arbor, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems. • Mill Creek Stock Farm, of Chelsea, as a verified farm in the Farmstead System. • Green Things Farm, LLC, of Ann Arbor, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, and Livestock Systems. • Schiel Farms, of Manchester, as a verified farm in the Cropping and Livestock Systems. • Schiel Farms, of Manchester, as a verified farm in the Cropping and Livestock Systems. • No Spike Hunting Camp, of Rock, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Camp Buck 80, of Rapid River, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Howard’s Woods, of Rapid River, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Camp Property, of Rapid River, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Herrick’s Home Property, of Rapid River, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Ferrell Property, of Rapid River, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Camp R.C.R., of Rapid River, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Skellenger Camp, of Rock, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Headwaters Farm, of Skandia, as a verified farm in the Cropping, Farmstead, Livestock, and Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat Systems. • Wery Forest, of Harris, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Poverty Ridge, LLC, of La Branche, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System. • Gagne Property, of Powers, as a verified farm in the Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat System.

“By taking the steps necessary to become an environmentally verified operation, these 62 farms have contributed to the assurance of sustainable farming practices,” said MDARD Director Jamie Clover Adams. “Michigan is leading the national agriculture community in effective stewardship practices with the voluntary, incentive-based MAEAP program. The continued success of the program demonstrates that environmental sustainability and economic development are not mutually exclusive.”

MAEAP is a collaborative effort of farmers, MDARD, Michigan Farm Bureau, commodity organizations, universities, conservation districts, conservation and environmental groups and state and federal agencies. More than 100 local coordinators and technical service providers are available to assist farmers as they move through the MAEAP process toward verification. An average of 8,000 Michigan farmers attend educational programs annually, 10,000 Michigan farms have started the verification process and more than 3,300 farms have been verified to date.

To become MAEAP verified, farmers must complete three comprehensive steps which include attending an educational seminar, conducting a thorough on-farm risk assessment, and developing and implementing an action plan addressing potential environmental risks. MDARD conducts an on farm inspection to verify program requirements related to applicable state and federal environmental regulations, Michigan Right to Farm guidelines, and adherence to an action plan. When completed, the producer receives a certificate of environmental assurance. To remain a MAEAP verified farm, inspections must be conducted every five years and action steps must be followed.

MAEAP is a multi-year program allowing producers to meet personal objectives, while best managing both time and resources. The program encompasses three systems designed to help producers evaluate the environmental risks of their operation. Each system – Livestock, Farmstead, Cropping, and Forest, Wetlands, and Habitat – examines a different aspect of a farm, as each has a different environmental impact. By participating in all three systems, producers can comprehensively evaluate their entire farming operation for potential environmental risks.

For more information, visit the MAEAP website at www.maeap.org, contact your local conservation district, or contact Joe Kelpinski, MDARD’s MAEAP Program Manager, at 517-284-5608.